His face turned pale. Evidently I had touched a sore spot. My heart gave a bound, for I connected his question with the remark the priest had let fall at Padstow and Peter Trevisa's desire to get the maid at Treviscoe.
"Come, Trevanion," he said again, "let us be frank."
"Yes," I replied; "let us be frank. At present it is you who ask all the questions, while you give no information yourself."
"I have offered to pay you for your information," he said. "I have offered you your liberty."
"True," I answered, "you have offered it; but what assurance have I that you would fulfil your promise? I would not trust you as far as I could throw a bull by the horns. You have asked me many questions. By answering them I should place a great deal of power in your hands. Directly I told you all that you desire to know, you would leave Launceston and act on the information I have given; then when I am tried, what proof have I that you will tell the truth?"
"On my word of sacred honour, I will set you free."
"A snap of my finger for your sacred honour, Otho Killigrew," I cried, suiting the action to the word. "Indeed, I very much doubt if you dare to give such evidence as might set me free. Your family is too deeply implicated."
"Trust Otho Killigrew for that," he replied scornfully; "I always play to win."
"Look you," I said at length, "assuming that the charges you have brought against me are not shown to be worthless before the assizes, and reckoning that an order does not come from Hugh Boscawen to set me at liberty, I might on certain conditions be inclined to make a promise."
"What?" he cried eagerly.